Andy Murray moves into US Open main draw after Alex Popyrin's withdrawal

Former world no. 1 Andy Murray has found a place in the US Open main draw following the withdrawal of Australian Alex Popyrin. The withdrawal and subsequent alteration in the composition of the main draw was announced by the US Open website.

Earlier, when the entry lists were announced for the US Open, Murray, the 2013 champion had narrowly missed out on securing a berth in the main draw. The cut-off rank was 127 and India’s Sumit Nagal was the last direct entrant in the main draw.

Andy Murray enters 2020 US Open main draw

Previously, world no. 2 and defending champion Rafael Nadal had announced he would not be returning to defend his title in Flushing Meadows this year. Popyrin’s compatriot Nick Kyrgios had also said he would not be travelling to the US in 2020. Kyrgios also added that there was a possibility of him not playing at all this year, regardless of the tour making its return.

Meanwhile, world no. 1 Novak Djokovic and world no. 3 Dominic Thiem are still on the US Open entry list.

Speaking about his participation at the US Open this year, Murray had said, “The situation I’ve been in last few years I’ve not had opportunity to play in many Slams, I don’t know how many opportunities I’ll have left to play in Slams. So, while I’m feeling relatively decent, obviously there is a risk there but I want to try and play in them and enjoy the biggest events again. I missed that a lot, I’ve missed it. I love playing the biggest events, even though this will be different with no fans but that is something I care about and willing to take a risk to go and play.”

In the last three years, Murray was forced to miss the US Open twice – in 2017 and 2019 – because of recurring injuries. In 2019, after initially having contemplated retirement, Murray made a strong return to the game winning his first title in almost three years at the European Cup in Antwerp in October 2019.

American Mitchell Krueger will receive Andy Murray’s wild card spot in the main draw. Michael Mmoh, Brandon Nakashima, JJ Wolf, Sebastian Korda, Maxime Cressy, Ulises Blanch and Thai-Son Kwiatkowski are the other players who have received a main draw wild card.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3a8FfvI